Romance in Italy
by Chii-bear
Summary: Sakura's dad forces her on a trip to Italy with Sasuke.Are there hidden motives at work here? The hints of a cupid playing to create love between two people who couldn't be more different make for a quirky romance you don't want to miss! sasusaku.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! So I haven't decided the rating for this story, and I hope you weren't too put off by my summary…be sure to review after reading this. Hope it isn't too bad for a first try. I intend to make this a long fic if possible, but it could take time! Please enjoy…**

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"Passengers on flight AZ 617, please prepare for boarding in ten minutes. Elderly and adults with children proceed first, please."

The pleasantly emotionless voice of the flight attendant blared overhead, only reminding Sakura that she would soon be stuck on a 7 hour flight with pretentious pretty boy, aka Sasuke Uchiha. Sakura grumbled under her breath before slouching in her seat, trying her best to ignore said nuisance, who sat next to her, exhibiting an equal lack of enthusiasm for the trip. The two of them must have been radiating loads of negative energy, because all of their fellow flight passengers to Rome, Italy seemed to catch their bad vibe and instinctively steer clear. From a bystander's point of view, one would see an unlikely pair who seemed to stick out for obvious reasons. Both had the appearance of being quite young, maybe just transitioning out of the teen years. The girl had light coral pink hair, the curls framing a perfectly symmetrical face. Her eyes were a fresh emerald color. Her exotic (and natural) looks made it difficult for most to tell that she was Japanese.

Sitting next to this beauty was an equally attractive young man. Most girls would probably call his looks "chiseled and refined". Sasuke Uchiha, son of Fugaku Uchiha, boss of one of the largest firms in Japan. Despite the constant frown on his face, Sasuke still managed to capture the hearts of all the girls around him. Never mind the fact that he was rich, his looks would have been enough to garner popularity with the opposite gender. But, as Sakura had once said all those years ago as a younger and more naïve girl, he had a bad case of chicken butt hair, arrogance, and a bad attitude overall. Yet there was no denying that he was an extremely attractive guy; no wonder girls conspicuously gravitated toward where the pair sat in the crowded terminal, hovering at a distance to occasionally peek over.

Unfortunately, this natural chick magnet of sorts mean that wherever Sakura went with this guy, she would be shot full of holes by the drilling stares of jealous girls, who tried to figure out her exact relationship with their eye-candy. If Sakura could, she would stand up on her seat and pull out a microphone, to announce to every person in the terminal the following thoughts which often ran through her head when she found herself in a similar situation:

"I hate this bastard sitting next to me more than anything in the world. The only reason I'm going on this trip is to please my parents, who threaten to make my life miserable once I find a job…If anyone wants to take this arrogant prick off my hands, then be my guest! I've got plenty of better things to do than waste my precious time with him!"

Of course, that would never happen.

Sakura groaned, making no attempt to mask her exasperation.

"Hey, it's not like I'm having fun here either. No one wants to spend their time with a bad tempered woman." In the distance, a few girls swooned at the sound of Sasuke's naturally seductive voice. Who knew how seductive he could be if he really tried? Too bad Sakura was naturally immune to his charms (which were obviously lost on her). She ignored his comment and continued to stare ahead, waiting for the chance to board the plane as quickly as possible.

Exactly why was all of this happening to her? A pretty girl like her should be out doing things she actually liked, trying new things and searching for a place in the world. After all, with college over and plenty of job opportunities to look into, there was no doubt in Sakura's mind that this trip was a waste of time. Being a legal adult, she should be able to walk out of this situation, right?

_Right?_

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2 days ago

"What. A. Joke." Sakura emphasized every word by slamming her fist against the table before her father. "Is this what you mean by 'treating me like an adult on equal terms'? Why do I have to go on a trip with that annoying bastard?" Steam was practically streaming out of her head right now, but her father still managed to appear calm. He laced his fingers together and appeared to be contemplating his answer. Before she could go on, Mr. Haruno began to speak.

"Sakura, look at it this way, and maybe you won't have to suffer as much on this trip: This is the last thing I'll ever make you do. After this, you're free to do whatever you want with no interference from me. It is paramount that my company retains good relations with Sasuke's father's firm. You know there's no other legal firm who's more adept at representing us. As unreasonable as Fugaku can get, I know he means well when he suggested a bonding trip between you and Sasuke." At this, Sakura snorted in a very unlady-like way. She crossed her arms defiantly in front of her chest, adopting a posture that clearly said _I'm not buying anything you're saying, and there's nothing you can do to make me comply to your wishes._ Mr. Haruno was very good at reading his daughter's body language. He sighed lightly before speaking again. "Well, if that's the way you're going to behave, I have no choice but to…assert my authority over your life. Let's just say that if you don't go on this trip and try to improve your relationship with Sasuke, life out in the real world is going to be tough for you…especially when no one will hire you."

Sakura's jaw practically fell off her face. "Are you threatening _me_? Your own daughter?" Her father's threat was not to be taken lightly. Being the boss of a company who was number one in Japan's film industry (a/n: sorry guys I couldn't think of anything better.), Mr. Haruno had plenty of influence over other people…enough to ruin the new life Sakura wanted to start, apart from all the attention drawn to her by her father's job. Regaining some of her composure, Sakura quickly closed her mouth. "Dad, why are you being so insistent? Never mind the fact that Sasuke and I are like oil and water…You know we've never been able to get along. Why don't you just give up trying to get us to be chums? It's never going to happen…I hate that guy with a burning passion that will never die down!" After this passionate speech, Mr. Haruno looked at his daughter with a very concerned look on his face. His thoughts seemed to wander—something that seemed to happen a lot these days, especially when he got into a fight with Sakura. What was up with her father? What could possibly be bothering him? He always said there was nothing, but she wasn't entirely convinced. Sakura was dropping back into these thoughts, but immediately snapped back to the present situation when she heard her dad speak.

"I'm sorry, but it's final, Sakura. I want you to go on this trip. Think of it as a little mission: improve our company's relations by trying to be on good terms with Fugaku's son, Sasuke. I've already booked the plane tickets to Italy…it's better if we give you some time along with him in a foreign country, where you can't run off with some of your other friends." He ignored the scowl on Sakura's face, handing her a ticket before waving her away. "I'm tired, Sakura. Your father wants to be alone now…It's best if you get to your packing as soon as possible."

And with that, Sakura's plans for the next 2 weeks was decided.

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Back to the present

Sakura was obviously still mad at her dad; she hadn't talked to him since that conversation she had with him. She refused to contact him until he retracted his orders to go on this trip…which probably wasn't going to happen since she was boarding the plane with Sasuke right now. Well, if that's how it was going to be, she simply would not try to interact with said person, and try to get by in Italy making as little contact with him as possible. It seemed like a good plan to her. Especially since their feelings of strong dislike were basically mutual.

With this decided, Sakura decided to stand up and get in line. At the same moment, Sasuke tried to stand up as well. Unfortunately, Sakura was hefting a very large travel bag which got in the way. He bumped into the bag, making her drop the bag. The contents spilled across the floor.

_Great. Thanks a lot._

Her look said it all. Sasuke made a sound in the back of his throat that implied impatience. "If you tried to be a little more efficient when packing, maybe you wouldn't end up with a problem like this, Sakura." He muttered these words as he bent to pick up some of the things.

Unfortunately, Sakura caught these words and immediately went into really really pissed at Sasuke mode. "_What did you say?_ Why don't you speak a little louder so I can hear what you're trying to tell me. What I want to bring is none of your business. And thanks for making a big mess just as we're about to board the plane." She was exceedingly snappish today, Sasuke noticed. It wasn't that he wanted to egg her on, but he couldn't help but reply to her harsh words.

"Sakura, I understand that women seem to…need a lot more things than men do when they travel, but what you have here is ridiculous. How many packs of gum do you really need?" He made a point by holding up four packs of gum before dropping them into the bag. "A lot of this is totally unnecessary." He did not try to look up after delivering these words of wisdom. He just waited for the response he knew he would soon get. And he was right.

"You think this is about the separate genders? You think I pack too much because I'm a _woman?_" Sakura was practically seething now. Everyone was staring at them by now, but she really didn't care. Plus, she was secretly mortified because Sasuke was nonchalantly picking up things like tampons or pads that had also dropped out of her travel bag, and trying to put them back. Personal items like that should _never_ be seen by anyone other than herself…this was obviously all his fault. And _now_ he was trying to lecture her on how to pack right? This was just too much. In an effort to justify at least the packs of gum, she snapped back at him, "And I need the gum because I can't function without it. No one wants to walk around with bad breath like you." Which was entirely false because he always smelled of spearmint or something masculine. But that wasn't the point. She snatched her bag away from Sasuke before stuffing the remaining things back in her bag. She made a point to push past him and enter the boarding line.

Sasuke simply shook his head, exasperated by the embarrassing encounter. It was obvious that this trip was going to be a long one, and it hadn't got off to a good start. There was no knowing how the rest of their trip would look like, but it certainly couldn't be good. He retrieved his things from his seat before entering the boarding line as well.

The next 7 hours on the plane would be hell.

TO BE CONTINUED

**Okay. Chapter 1 finished. I hope it wasn't too bad? This is a first fanfic that I've ever written. I just feel inspired after a recent trip to Italy…which explains the random location to be of this fanfic…please bear with me as I offer up all this annoying background info. The action will soon start a few chapter later, but please give feedback as to the quality of the writing. And don't be afraid to call me out on any technical mistakes including information in the story.**

**Thanks for reading! And please, no flames. Remember, always constructive criticism. If you hate it, don't read or give me constructive feedback so I can change it so you **_**won't**_** hate it anymore. **

**I'll try to update as much as possible….hopefully all goes well and this story won't be dropped!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ahh! Haven't written in so long. I even had to reread the first chapter. Let me just express my gratitude if you're still around for this story (:**

**Okie..so not much romance so far But I'm getting there, I promise! I don't want to write a story with no plot, so my focus is split 50-50 between writing a good story and making it a good romance XP Again, suggestions or positive criticism would really help. I'm such a novice writer, haha, just want to have fun with a story. Please enjoy as much as you can (: I'll be updating more frequently since it's summertime~**

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Saying the next 7 hours would be hell was apparently a huge understatement. A snapshot of the Sasuke in his current surroundings would reveal a great deal to support this assertion…Sandwiched between two females—one he was on bad terms with and another he had no intention of acquainting himself with—Sasuke was in a very sorry state in deed. Karin, the obnoxious redhead girl in the aisle seat who forced an introduction out of him at first glance, had given up on trying to engage him in further conversation after several failed attempts in the first two hours. Sakura, who had been scribbling furiously in her journal (so typical of someone like her to keep a journal), had strategically angled her body to hide whatever secrets she scribed into her notebook from Sasuke. So, sitting in this awkward atmosphere, he deigned to absorb himself in his book, all the while uncomfortably aware of how stifling the negative aura emanating from Sakura was. Yeah, definitely no chance of a slight reprieve from their usual quarrels; it wasn't like Sasuke wanted to start this journey on a bad note. Things always took a turn for the worse when it came to his relationship with Sakura.

He could offer many examples of how this observation was only the truth. From the very moment he met her (at the still innocent age of 10), they had gotten off to a bad start. Sasuke had a very sharp memory; he had flashbacks all the time.

_Covering his nose but doing little to staunch the spurt of blood gushing forth, Sasuke could not conceal his tears. His eyes betrayed emotions of bewilderment, pain, fear, and anger. He was sitting squarely on his stinging bottom, staring at the figure above him. To the readers now, it must be no surprise that the source of his injury was Sakura….who now stood in a confident pose, the offending fist still held up, about to make a point._

"_My name's Sakura Haruno. Our daddies are friends, so we should be friends too. But if you ever do that again, I'll punch your face and break your nose. Again." And with that, she turned around and flounced away, glad to have exacted punishment on the boy who had curiously commented on the extraordinary size of such a forehead on such a tiny girl…._

Okay…so maybe that was his fault. Not the point! They were destined to be at odds with each other. Sasuke massaged the bridge of his nose. Snapping his book shut, he ignored the hopeful look Karin shot in his direction. _Sorry, still not interested in getting smitten with you…I'm still on Sakura's __really__ bad side,_ Sasuke said to her in his head. Socializing with females in the presence of Sakura always made the fire of her temper flare even higher; she wasn't jealous. It probably just pissed her off to see her sex act in a way that was degrading to their general image—in front of Sasuke, most could not resist his so called charms. And, for some reason, Sakura was also convinced that Sasuke was a pompous playboy who could be seen with a different girl every time they met (every month or so). And, she wouldn't hear a word of his explanation: _Sakura, I __am__ a guy. You realize that don't you? Just because I'm trying to find a girl I like doesn't make me a criminal. And there's no way I'm going to know that unless I make myself available. _And…unsurprisingly, his words went in one ear, and promptly went out the other. Well, he had been with a lot of women (taking some advantage from his good looks wasn't a crime, right?) but he definitely wasn't a womanizer. But maybe that was baseless (Sasuke couldn't objectively decide if she was right or wrong) but it was what she thought, and since he couldn't change her mind—never could—he might as well play it safe and try to get back in her graces. The best way to do that was to lie low and do nothing. With that thought, he subtly turned to face Sakura, who seemed a little alarmed by his direction, and promptly closed his eyes, feigning sleep.

_Sakura's POV_

_What the hell is this bastard thinking? Now I have to stare at his annoying face for the next four remaining hours…_Sakura stabbed Sasuke's face over and over again with the imaginagry daggers that were shooting from her eyes. He was unperturbed and remained dosing, his face _defiantly_ turned in her direction. _Oh, the nerve_…Sakura was still burning from embarrassment because of that episode before boarding commenced. That idiot just didn't know when to be discreet or to be silent. Still twisted in the uncomfortable position that afforded her some privacy from prying eyes like Sasuke's, she took this time to readjust and scan everything she had written thus far.

March 4th, 2010 –On the Plane to Italy

Ever since father forced me on this trip, I've been trying to keep an optimistic outlook on this whole ordeal…But nothing I do will ever make me reconcile myself with the jerk who's sitting next to me. I don't know how it's even possible, but everything he does manages to piss me off. I don't know how I'm going to get through the next two weeks. He'll be the only person I know in the entire continent, for pete's sake! This is not the way I want to start off a trip to one of the most beautiful countries in Europe…But there's nothing I can do about this situation.

On another note, I'm surprised by my father's insistence on this trip. Could he harbor some ulterior motive…? He's not one to hide things from me. Mom, if only you could see me from heaven now…can you tell me what's going on in father's head? Is this trip really meant for a reconciliation between Sasuke and me? I can't shake off this feeling of suspicion.

Sasuke finally closed her journal. With a sigh, she tucked it into pocket of the seat before her. After throwing one more reproachful glance towards Sasuke, she threw a blanket over herself as well, eventually falling asleep.

Sasuke POV

It was the turbulence that woke him up. He was concious now, but quite reluctantly so. His eyes were still closed…but he could detect a faint, sweet scent. What was it? It was very feminine. He wondered what it was. Now he opened his eyes—and nearly jumped in his seat.

Sakura's face was only an inch away from his own.

Had her eyes been open, Sasuke was sure it would have mean Sakura was angry and wanted to ask him about something. But like this, she looked very peaceful and serene. It was often he had a chance to stare at her like this.

Her lashes were very long. Curly too. He was surprised to see that eyelashes were actually a light shade of pink like her hair. Up close, her skin looked very smooth and flawless. Her pert nose, which was usually turned up in disdain for him, and small cherry lips, where were usually turned down in an unapproving frown, fit well with the rest of her face. Sakura was very beautiful; Sasuke was just largely unaware of this fact because her mercurial character often preoccupied him. That aspect of her person kept him busy enough.

As though snapping out of a trance, Sasuke moved back a little, and turned the other way. Thank goodness. Karin on the otherside was also fast asleep, though in a far less graceful manner. The snoring must have also roused him from his sleep somewhat…At this time, Sasuke glanced at the screen a few rows ahead of him. The information stated that there was only half an hour left before they were to land. As if on cue, a voice over the loudspeaker made an announcement about their imminent arrival. By his side, Sasuke sensed some movement. Sakura was now grumbling in discontentment. As she moved around some more, she slowly emerged from her own sleep, and seemed to be have forgotten where she was. Her heavy-lidded eyes searched the surroundings. Upon seeing sasuke, a look of distaste and surprise flit across her face. Then realization dawned that they were still on the plane. And the look of distaste stayed. Sasuke forgot that he was actually making eye contact with her. He only realized after Sakura suspiciously asked him, "What are you staring at? Is there something on my face?"

Sasuke sighed. "No, it's nothing…" He only wished Sakura wasn't so quick to associate his actions towards her with negative things…if she was half as nice as she was when asleep, things would be so much easier. "Is it so bad that I'm looking at you? I'm sure that's not a crime."

"yeah yeah. The sooner this trip ends, the better. Making eye contact with you melts my eyes. No pleasure there at all…Why don't you just turn your head the other way. I'm sure _she_ wouldn't mind your attention once she wakes up."

This seemed to be a trap. If he turned the other way, she was sure to interpret this as a sign that he was eager to get friendly in a romantic way with that Karin girl. So, he simply turned to face forward. He ignored her sharp remarks. Once they were off the plane, he was sure she would become much less grouchy.

Sakura pOV

Sitting next to Sasuke brought Sakura such displeasure. The way he stared at her, she was sure that he was only going to complain if she gave him the chance. Over the next half hour, food was served. There was such a lack of space for their seating that any little movement caused a huge stir. In such a situation, eating in a peaceful manner was nearly impossible. It wasn't long before an accident finally happened.

Sakura was small in comparison so she was having less trouble moving around. But when it came to accepting the drink the airplane attendant was handing her, conditions were just right for an accident to occur. Sasuke had leaned down in his seat to put his book back in his travel bag. At the same time, the flight attendant had chosen this moment to hand over Sakura's cup of orange juice. Just as Sakura was about to take it, Sasuke suddenly sat up.

"Oh no—" The words flew out of the flight attendant's mouth as soon as she saw Sasuke move up. But it was too late.

In one smooth motion, the cup was knocked out of the attendant's hand as Sasuke's head came in contact with it. The liquid was ejected in the general direction of Sakura's chest. It made contact with her shirt. And completely soaked it.

_Oh shit._ Sasuke's face said it all.

A few ice cubes were cradled in Sakura's lap. Her hands were still held before her. They were frozen in a position as though she were about to catch something. The OJ had sort of landed on her chin, so her mouth was open in horror as it slowly dripped onto her already ruined shirt.

"Oh. My. God." Sakura was no longer suspended in time. She pulled the tshirt away from her skin, staring down at the damage. Sasuke seemed abashed. He quickly asked for some tissue, and once he got some, started to dab and then rub at her tshirt with the napkins in earnest. He didn't say a word. finally, she thought of something to say. "_This _is why I hate being anywhere near you." He didn't wince when he heard those words. But she was already pissed; eliciting no reaction from him was the last thing she wanted. "Will you just _stop it_. It's already wet. Your incessant rubbing isn't going to help. Now get your hands away from my boobs!"

That was awfully loud. And now she was embarrassed. Now she realized something that was even more mortifying. The orange juice had made her t-shirt—which was a very light pink—slightly transparent…the outline of her lacy bra could be discerned…and it was becoming more apparent by the second. Her head snapped up and she glared at Sasuke once more. Then she turned read again. Apparently he had also observed the transparency of her shirt. Now he quickly turned his face away. His expression had been stony and quickly composed.

"Sorry." Then everything ended and Sakura was left to clean up the rest of her wardrobe malfunction.

_Well, sorry doesn't do it, buster._

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**Haha not much development there. Hmm.. and shorter than I thought. I started writing this chapter a long time ago. I'm having a hard time writing about the characters in a way that'll show them both hating each other; as in, I feel like I'm making Sakura the villain by making her look so judgmental in this chapter. Haha every1 must be thinking aww poor sasuke…but that's just her character….**

**I took some time to write out an outline for the story. I hope this works out well…it's turning out to be quite the endeavor now that I've got everything thought out…**

**Please review though! I really need feedback. I feel weird writing again; I'll try to make the next chapter have a little more romance and development :P things will get better once they're in italy, I promise XD**

**Thanks to whoever's actually reading. I'd love to hear from you though. Just to know I'm not in this alone. XP till next time!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I told you I would update sooner (: I'll try to do it at a constant pace. I'm just really in the mood for writing now haha. And I think I know where I want to with this so I hope it turns out well! Thanks for reading; knowing there's someone out there who's getting something out of this is a real comfort. At this point I really don't want to read over what's below…it's come out longer than I thought. I apologize for any grammatical or spelling errors.**

**Oh and about Karin…haha she just made a brief appearance. She's in this chapter too, but I feel too lazy to include her any more in the story. She may or may not pop out again later on :P Now on with the story!**

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Kakashi scanned the arrivals entrance as he waited for the person on the other side of the line to pick up his call. They hadn't come yet. Good. That would give him a chance to talk one last time with his client. At this moment, the line clicked, and a man's voice registered in Kakashi's cellphone.

"I assume they're about to arrive?"

"Yes. Is there anything else you want to tell me before I meet them?"

"Just this. I need you to get them together at all costs. I've given you two weeks. Make sure they don't find out what you're trying to do. My daughter is quick to anger, so you'd best be careful. I don't have much time left either. This is my last chance. Everything rests on your abilities to manipulate the situation. If you succeed, you're sure to be rewarded handsomely."

"Understood. Don't worry about it, I've got it all figured out." Kakashi didn't question his client's motives. And it wasn't often he had a chance to make some big cash…His job was just to carry out the wishes of the client. Sure, it was a little weird that this guy was going to such an extent to get two people together. But whatever. People sometimes gave him very odd requests.

"Well, that's all you need to know for now. I have a meeting soon, so it's best that we end it here. I'll be waiting for a report from you in a few days."

"Understood, Mr. Haruno. Good-bye." Kakashi snapped his cellphone shut. It was nearly time to take on the role of cupid. He just had to wait for the two people to arrive to work his magic.

Everything was set for the stage of love. Yup. Everything was going to go just as planned; Kakashi was a matchmaker of sorts. He could get any two people in the world to…

And then he saw them.

_Oh shit._

This one was going to be quite the challenge.

Sasuke POV

Since the OJ incident, Sasuke had gone out of his way to avoid making eye contact with Sakura. Not only was that the cherry on top of this disaster-sundae, it was also the beginnings of a trip that was bound to end in flames. The dark cloud hanging above Sakura's head wasn't going to disappear any time soon; he couldn't blame her feeling so pissed off, either. Well, he _had_ apologized. But sorry probably wasn't going to alleviate him of all the blame.

Now that they were off the plane though, the two of them didn't have to stay in such close proximity of each other. As a result, they were walking in the crowd of other passengers far removed from each other. Of course, Sasuke would eventually have to regroup with Sakura, but that they could figure out how once the baggage was claimed. In any case, Sakura was definitely giving him the silent treatment. She was probably convinced that any contact with him would cause more problems for her.

Sasuke easily retrieved his one piece of luggage. Sakura, on the other hand, was struggling quite a bit. If he recalled, she must have had at least three other pieces checked in. And two were probably filled with trivial things that she didn't even really need. He watched from afar as she struggled to retrieve her luggage and cover her exposed chest at the same time. That did not work out well. She stumbled awkwardly as she used one arm to attempt to lift her heavy baggage. It lodged itself on the ledge of the conveyer belt. Sakura continued to pull with great force, until the bag finally gave and tumbled to the floor. With a frustrated puff, Sakura turned back to the conveyer belt in search of her next piece of luggage.

Sasuke was diverted from this scene by an unwelcome interference. The intruder snidely asked, "Hey, shouldn't you be helping her? You're not much of a gentleman, are you?" Sasuke turned to see the redhead—Karin, was it?—squint at him accusingly through her black framed glasses. He didn't know how to respond. Tell her that they had a hate-hate relationship? There was no way to put it into simple terms. So, he just said nothing. Karin did not wait long for his response. She pressed on through Sasuke's silence. "Well, no matter…I'd be mad if you were being so nice to her." Karin's voice suddenly sounded sickly sweet. "Why don't we enjoy Italy together? I'm sure the two of us would make a better match than you with her." She was seriously hitting on him. That much was obvious.

Sasuke was feeling a little violated by her over attentiveness. Especially when she slipped a hand into his pants pocket and deposited a slip of paper with her contact information on it. But not before firmly grasping his leg through the fabric. Now _that _was too much. Sasuke Uchiha did not take sexual harassment from women like a submissive…._ahem_…well it was high time to make his own intentions clear.

He took a step away from Karin, forcing her to remove her hand; Sasuke also took out the small slip of paper she had given him, and crumpled it in his hand. "Sorry, I have no interest in women with more enthusiasm than me in making something happen." With that said, he turned sharply on his heel and briskly walked in the general direction of Sakura. He didn't want to be there when that Karin girl flew into a tantrum. Sure enough, he could hear her calling after him. Luckily she made no attempt to approach him again.

Now Sasuke's attention returned to Sakura. As soon as he was close enough, Sasuke reached out one hand and easily lifted the last piece of baggage Sakura had been struggling with onto the cart with her other possessions. He was expecting some words of gratitude for the help he had given without her encouraging him to do so, or at least a word of forgiveness. But Sakura simply snapped, "I had everything under control, okay? Please stay at least a meter away from me. I don't want any more accidents to happen. I seem prone to them when I'm near you." She had turned to him, hands on hips, ready to say more in that icy tone of hers.

Her impertinent behaviour was the last straw. Sasuke was feeling slightly indignant. "I just helped you, Sakura. Sure, I wasn't expecting any words of thanks, but I didn't come over here to hear you rag on me. Oh, and your shirt's still see through—though there isn't much to see." Sakura's mouth made a very round O-shape before she turned beet red and covered herself with her arms again. Sasuke ignored her reaction. "We have to find that tour guide, apparently. My father said to look for a man with silver hair…" Without waiting for Sakura's angry reply, Sasuke made his way towards the exit. The staccato sound of Sakura's shoes on the floor was the only thing that confirmed she was actually following him. Well also the heat of her blazing glare on the back of his head.

Kakashi POV

It wasn't hard for Kakashi to pick them out from the crowd of people arriving. _Hmm…quite an attractive pair. That pink paired girl must be my client's daughter And I don't blame him for wanting such a good looking son-in-law._ As the pair before him looked around (probably in search of their tour guide) he analyzed their appearance. What Kakashi saw discouraged him by in his given endeavor. The tell-tale sign of a liquid mess from looks of the girl's shirt….and their body language (facing away from each other, avoiding contact at all costs, as well as a lack of verbal communication) were all signs that they were in no way ready for romance. Kakashi sighed. Maybe he had bitten off more than he could chew. He could tell these two would need a lot of encouragement before they would voluntarily come to love each other.

The handsome guy with the spiky hair seemed to have spotted Kakashi judging by the way those dark, penetrating eyes were scrutinizing him. He began to walk towards Kakashi, the equally attractive girl trailing a few steps behind her travel partner. Kakashi did not fail to notice the incriminating stare she constantly trained on the back of the guy's head. He sighed again, inwardly this time. Then, putting on the look of welcome he always showed to newcomers, he waved his hand in welcome. "You must be the two I'm supposed to be guiding through Italy! I'm Kakashi. I was hired to be your tour guide for the duration of your trip here. I'm sorry to say this, but I don't know your names yet. If you could please tell me…?" Kakashi was all smiles now. He needed to be on good terms with both of them in order to be in control of the situation later on.

"I'm Sasuke. Nice to meet you." Sasuke shook hands with Kakashi. "And this is—" Sasuke was about to introduce the pink-haired girl beside him when he was interrupted by the girl herself.

"I'm Sakura." Sakura was all smiles now. Kakashi was surprised she could look so friendly when she had looked so hostile a moment before. She cordially added, "It's nice to meet you." Kakashi exchanged a handshake with Sakura as well.

"Well, now that I'm acquainted with the two of you, we might as well get to the van. My son's waiting to drive us to the hotel. His name's Naruto. I apologize in advance for his possible intereference during our trip; He'll just be with us in Rome. He's staying behind when we move on from this city." Kakashi expressed his apologies for the inconvenience. However, he noticed that Sakura seemed to brighten up immediately.

"Oh, that's no problem," Sakura replied. She seemed quite delighted by this piece of information. "The more the merrier, right?" Sasuke didn't seem to have any sort of objection either.

Kakashi decided it was best to get the show on the road; the sooner they got to the hotel, the better. He needed more time to plan how he was going to get these two lovey dovey for each other. "I'm sure the two of you are exhausted from the plane ride," conjectured Kakashi. "We'd best get to the van so we can arrive at the hotel ASAP. You can rest a while there; I plan to take you both out to dinner though." Meeting no objections to this good suggestion, Kakashi helped with the luggage as they exited the airport. After calling Naruto to drive the van over, they stood by the curb and waited in awkward silence. They were all a little relieved when the van finally showed up.

Sakura POV

She saw Naruto swerved sharply and braked with force; the van came to an abrupt stop in front of Sasuke and Sakura. They both blinked and drew back a bit in alarm. Surely it would be hazardous to ride a van with such a reckless driver. Speaking of the driver, Naruto hopped out of the van. He was all smiles. Blonde, with skin tanned a healthy tone of brown, Naruto was a man with good looks that possibly rivaled Sasuke's. And she soon discovered he certainly had the better manners of the two. "Hi! It's so great to meet you! I'm Naruto! Let's be friends!" Naruto's warm greetings were delivered as he firmly shook the hands of each individual. _He's quite charming_, Sakura could not help think of Naruto in positive terms. She felt a little feverish as he looked at her unabashedly with his electric blue eyes. His direct gaze made her feel a blush creeping down her neck as she quickly averted her gaze. However, she soon raised her eyes to meet his again when she heard his quick intake of breath. This time Naruto's eyes weren't trained on Sakura's face. Instead, he seemed to be staring concernedly…at her chest? Sakura almost face-palmed in front of her new acquaintance. _Dammit! This wardrobe crisis seriously came at a bad time. Thanks a lot, Sasuke._ She scowled a bit, tempted to turn to Sasuke to verbally abuse him again at the risk of looking like a hag in front of Naruto.

"Do you want to borrow a shirt?"

Sakura failed to register what she just heard issue from Naruto's lips. "W-what? But, then what about you? I can't…" The words died on her own lips. In a flash, Naruto had stripped off his shirt and handed the article of clothing to her. She heard a few fan-girlish screams in the distance. Naruto ignored them and looked Sakura earnestly in the eye. Sakura's line of sight temporarily dipped below Naruto's face. No denying it now. Naruto had the face and the body to go with it. _Ahhh! Snap out of it! Don't fall for the physical attraction. Snap out of it!_ Sakura mentally slapped herself before responding. Her voice sounded shaky to herself. "But—I can't—it's just—it's your shirt!"

Naruto simply smiled. It looked so angelic…"Don't worry. It's so warm in Italy, and I don't like to see a lady embarrassed, believe it!" Naruto's insistence was hard to deny; Sakura took the shirt he offered and carefully slipped it over he own soiled t-shirt. The blush on her neck was still there.

"Thanks, Naruto." Sakura managed a grateful smile. But why was it so hot? She could feel her neck steam under her hair. It took Sakura some effort not to stare anywhere below Naruto's neck.

Naruto remained oblivious to whatever sensations Sakura experienced. He simply responded with a "Don't worry, that's what friends are for!" before turning away to help Kakashi with the luggage. Sakura released a little sigh of relief. She heard a "Hn" beside herself. Looking out of the corner of her eye, Sakura could see Sasuke shaking his head.

Sasuke's headshake elicited further embarrassment and agitation from Sakura. Even if Naruto had missed how she had reacted, Sakura could bet Sasuke certainly hadn't. Even so, Sakura couldn't help but defend herself. "It's just a shirt! Just a shirt…I'm different from you Sasuke. And I don't want to hear how this makes me no better than any of the girls who drool over you! Because I'm different. I'm not like that, got it?" It sounded lame to Sakura as soon as it came out of her mouth. Since when did she begin to feel the need to justify herself to Sasuke Uchiha, her sworn enemy? Sakura was finding her own actions puzzling. Convinced the unhealthy air in the plane had made something go funny in her head, Sakura suddenly turned away to enter the van. She left a still skeptical-looking Sasuke behind on the curb.

Sasuke simply shook his head again. "And she says I'm hypocritical?" He looked at Naruto with some trace of distaste in his eyes before entering the van himself.

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**Oo was that some jealousy from Sasuke? And perhaps the beginnings of a love triangle? haha you'll find out soon enough if you keep reading. Whew. That was a lot for me. Again, please review! I'll try to write more for a chapter. I realize my previous chapters were a little short. Oh and I must say I love reading reviews! If you find anything wrong with what I've written so far, also be sure to tell me~! **

**Oh and I've been thinking, I may change the rating as the story progresses. It all depends…**

**But please do keep on reviewing. And thanks for reading! I'm going to begin work on the next chapter ASAP (:**


	4. Chapter 4

**Ugh sorry friends, my year has been xtremely stressful ): sadly it has been affecting my time to do stuff like this..which is sad. Anyone wanna give me suggestions for what they want to happen? Just a prompt of sorts. I've been having writer's block, a reason why I haven't been writing so much as well. Just leave it in the review section! They would be much appreciated as well :D I just don't know where this story is going, I really have no idea! So please, comments are always welcome (: Sorry that this one is kind of short..as I said, WRITER'S BLOCK.**

**Hoping to post a better chapter soon. **

After a long, hot shower, Sakura sank back into the cushy chair with a sigh of relief. The huge mirror opposite the sofa framed her in the surroundings of her lavish hotel room. She stared into the eyes of her own reflection; her entire complexion was flushed from the heat of her shower. Just sitting here, with the fluffy bathrobe against her bare skin, Sakura felt no motivation to go out for dinner in Rome.

_Don't you want to see Naruto?_

Sakura caught herself before she could agreed with her inner voice. She didn't know if irritation or confusion was the right thing to feel. But she couldn't deny the fact that this stranger made her feel things she hadn't felt in a while.

On the other hand…seeing Sasuke so late into the night was _such_ a turn off, even if it meant seeing Naruto again. Why was it that Sasuke always caught her at the worst moments? The guy was so insensitive; it was all too likely that dinner tonight would simply be awkward. Like a turtle flipped on its shell.

_But don't you want to see _him _again?_

"Ugh, shut up." Sakura muttered to herself before closing her eyes. _I choose this sofa over everything else_.

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Sasuke, ever the punctual one, showed up in the hotel lobby five minutes before the decided time. This gave him a little time to examine himself for any wardrobe malfunction. His plain, black pants and paired with the plain white tee under his black dress jacket was a simple ensemble. Nevertheless, he was drawing the interested looks from the female customers also loitering in the lobby. He prayed to god Sakura wouldn't be the next to arrive; the awkwardness would probably chase him back to his hotel room.

A heavy hand dropped on his shoulder. Sasuke resisted the urge to jump out of the clutch of the hand, and turned his head to see the next person on his list of people that he didn't really want to spend any alone time with.

"Hey! I bet you're pumped for dinner tonight, right?" Naruto flashed his dazzling smile, and simply ignored when Sasuke simply shrugged off his hand without any sort of visible response. _This guy has got to be the biggest iceberg I've ever met_. Naruto scratched the back of his head. _There's gotta be some way I can help my dad with his "mission"_.

Naruto thought back to what had happened before he had come down.

"Naruto," Kakashi had begun as soon as they arrived in their room, "You've always trusted me, right?" Naruto was puzzled by this question. Since when had he ever shown signs of distrust to his foster parent? Before he could reply though, Kakashi pushed on. "I hope you won't question me on how I know this or breathe a word of what I'm about to say to anyone else. Can you do that for me?" A quick nod from Naruto spurred him on. "I happen to know that the person who gave them tickets really meant for them to get back together. In the name of friendship, they decided that it was high time Sakura and Sasuke realized their feelings for each other and returned home as a couple." Naruto was certainly delighted by the idea that someone could do something so kind for his or her friends. He wanted to ask why Sakura and Sasuke hated each other so much. "I thought that you would like to help me in my task of…_nudging_ them in the right direction, because it seems their friend's wishes for them to become at least on good terms will have a hard time coming true if those two are left to their own devices. Think you can help me just figure out the situation? You are closer to them in age after all, maybe they can open up to you about their personal issues with the other person."

Of course, Naruto had agreed. He loved being assigned epic missions like that! But now that he was faced with the dilemma known as Sasuke Uchiha, he really had no game plan. OH well. Plowing into the situation head first and feeling it out was usually his plan anyways. Naruto snapped out of his reverie and noticed that Sasuke had unceremoniously plopped into one of the cushy chairs in the lobby. Striding over to the neighboring seat with determination, Naruto plopped down as well to settle into a comfortable position for discussion.

"So, Sasuke," Naruto began, totally impervious to the eye rolls and head shaking. "I notice that Sakura seems to be in a bad mood whenever she's around you." He also failed to nervous the pulsing nerve in Sasuke's head. "So what's the deal with that?" Naruto laughed to himself. "It can't be that she simply hates you for _who you are?_ There must be—" but he never got to finish his thought, because Sasuke stood up with a swiftness that threw Naruto off. Without facing Naruto, Sasuke's expression of annoyance and unexplicable anger was not visible to the totally oblivious blonde.

"Look, _Naruto_. I don't know what makes you think you have the right to just sit down and talk to me like that, but I just want you to know that we aren't friends or buddies, and it's probably going to stay that way for the entire trip. I'm sure if Sakura doesn't find my company so pleasant, she would most certainly enjoy _yours_." With that, he stalked off to the bathroom, where it would be awkward if _anyone_ tried to follow him in.

_Hm, I see. Touchy subject._ Naruto stroked his chin thoughtfully.

Kakashi came down eventually; Sakura was outside, watching as the sunlight hit the buildings and was obscured as it gradually sank down. Naruto sat dejectedly alone but perked up when he finally saw Sasuke come out of the bathroom. Kakashi sighed to himself for the hundredth time today. _What a scattered group I have._

However, he simply smiled when the little group of three was finally together in front of him. "Hey, I'm so glad you guys didn't succumb to the jet lag and got yourselves down here." Sakura, in her simple purple summer dress, looked like a natural beauty with minimal makeup on. The vibrant color alone attracted the eyes of people milling around. Kakashi was pleased to see even Sasuke could not help but sneek a few glances at her. _Well, at least he isn't as impervious to beauty as I thought he would be._ "If you don't mind, I'd prefer if we all walked a block down and got a look at the city as we made our way to our wonderful dinner." Without any protests, Kakashi led the way out of the building.

The warm breeze outside seemed to lighten the mood for everyone. The frown left Sasuke's face (but he still looked pretty deadpan), Naruto was actually whistling, yes, actually whistling to himself, and Sakura had a slight smile on her face. The glimmer of her green eyes in the light of a departing sun lit up her entire face. At least for now, everything else was forgotten save for the tranquil surroundings they finally realized that they had arrived in.

Sakura hadn't even noticed that she had been seated right across from Sasuke, who seemed quite indifferent from this fact as well. Instead, she remained amazed by how a change of environment could so well affect her mood. Under the dim candlelight, Sasuke didn't look as harsh as he usually did…with a hand gently propped against his chin, Sakura was a bit mesmerized by the look of absentmindedness on his face as he stared down at the menu. She almost blushed when his eyes suddenly raised and locked for a bit with hers. Sakura missed the questioning look and then the quick sweep over her features that were visible to him over the table. He quickly looked away before she could look back again.

"Look. I'm not as mad as you think. I think, seeing as we're in such a beautiful place, we might as well just be on _neutral_ terms, that's all." Sasuke hadn't even registered that Sakura was speaking to him. "Are you even listening to me?" The irritation was coming back into her voice. But when he looked up, she almost seemed earnest. _What? Sakura was being earnest to him?_ Sasuke registered the miracle of this placid interaction between them. They hadn't been this relaxed in each other's presence in a long, long time. Maybe, just to avoid breaking this spell (because he simply refused to believe that Sakura was actually being nice to him), Sasuke simply nodded and stared back down at his menu. Diagonally across from the table, Kakashi was secretly peering over his menu to take in what had just happened. He simply nodded his head to himself, and somehow the wheels in his head were clicking once again into motion. A plan of sorts was being hatched.

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Please do review! Thanks for reading, and I hope you come back for more (:


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